Vegetable Tempeh Fajitas

OMG – yes, I used that term – these fajitas were delicious. I always love the idea of fajitas in a tex-mex place but then I’m always, faintly, disappointed by the preponderance of sizzling onion and green pepper. None of that here.  This is adapted from New Vegetarian, by Celia Brooks Brown, which my sister gave me as a gift. It is listed as haloumi fajitas but offers tempeh as a vegan alternative. I added mint to the marinade, just because I had it growing on my window ledge, and it really added a freshness to the whole shebangadoodle. I halved the recipe – it serves 4-6 – but I am including the whole thing, here.

Ingredients:
Marinade–
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbs sea salt, ground
8 Tbs lime juice (I use Santa Cruz organic. Original recipe calls for juice of 4 limes and grated zest of 2)
Handful of cilantro (chopped)
1/2 Tsp dried oregano
1/2 Tsp chili flakes
1 Tsp cumin seeds (I skipped this – I’m not a huge fan of cumin, although she speaks well of me)
1 Tsp sugar (I skipped this, just because)
1 Tbs white wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dark rum ( I skipped this as I did not happen to have any on hand)

The rest:
1lb tempeh
2 red onions, cut into wedges
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
1 yellow pepper, de-seeded and cut into strips
Same with a green, but I skipped that (see above)
1 medium zucchini (courgette) quartered and cut into chunks
3/4 lb button mushrooms

To serve:
8-10 large tortillas
Guacamole
Vegan sour cream (or regular organic, if you are a vegetarian, of course)

Crush garlic into salt, then add remainder of marinade ingredients except the oil. Add the oil in a steady stream, whisking as you go, until emulsified. OR, you can do what I did which was to put everything in a jam-jar, screw on the lid and shake until emulsified. Put the tempeh into a shallow dish and cover with enough  marinade until well coated.

Place the veggies in a separate bowl and cover with the remaining marinade.

Cover both dishes and allow to marinate for, at least, 30 minutes.

Wrap the tortillas in foil in a stack and place in a warm oven (150 C/300F) for about 15 mins. Or, alternatively, you can heat them individually in a dry frying pan on a low heat for a couple of minutes, each.

Throw the marinated veggies into large frying pan or wok and stir-fry on a high heat, until all the juice has evaporated and the veggies have lightly caramelized. Transfer to a heat-resistant and keep warm in the oven.

Add 3 tablespoons of oil to your pan and place the strips of tempeh in a single layer. Cook on a medium heat until golden. Don’t forget to turn them over! I like to use a broiler (grill) for my tempeh, but that’s just me.

Serve separately so diners can make up their own fajitas. If you have a sizzling hot-pan, serve your veggies on one of those and look all fancy.

Once I finish posting this, I’m off to buy some tortillas. Typing this has reminded me of how delicious this dish is, and I’m hungry!